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how do you treat "Scratches"?

My Gelding's white sock hind ankle has what i believe to be scratches. He does not seem to be in pain. I have cleaned with betadine and applied nolvasin ointment. However, is this the correct protocol? Thanks

Agree ^ I would have your vet look at it because if it is scratches or leukocytoclastic vasculitis - it's a pain if you let it go.

If it IS scratches - One of my horses had it in the summer months and it was a pain.

His white socks got clipped... So don't do that and if you must make sure you have "clean" sanitized blades and don't cut it too short.

Don't do a lot of baths. Moisture seems to make it worse.

Don't put horse away wet or with damp legs.

What got rid of my horses was I brought him out of the environment for a few months, didn't bathe him and if I did, I didn't get the socks wet and left them alone.

Vet had a mixture cream I did put on it originally and wrapped it, scraped it etc and what worked was get out of the area that is infected and leave it alone. You should know if the area is infected because other horses around have it too. It takes a long time so you must be patient.

I know a lot of people that have had very good luck with the AG Silver products, if you use them properly you should have good results. If you contact EquiFit they might even send you samples so you can try it.

Chlorhexidine (Nolvasan brand name). I just soak some cotton balls with it and apply it to my gelding's scratches - cotton balls make it easier to get in between the scabs - you really have to soak the scabs well. This is the ONLY thing that has ever worked for my gelding - he has one white sock and that is the one that he has always had problems with until I started w/ the Chlorhexidine. I get it from my vet for less than $2 for 8 ounces. You can get it at a lot of regular places too. No messy mixtures to deal with like a lot of other things out there. Eventually the scabs dry up and that's it. The scratches have not come back and it's been a very long time!

"When a horse greets you with a nicker & regards you with a large & liquid eye, the question of where you want to be & what you want to do has been answered."CANTER New England

Soak the area with hot towels till scabs COME off, do not scrub off. Slather paste on, rub in. Wrap. After 2 days, pastern will be pink and smooth. After a week, scratches will be gone. This has never failed me, even on a young horse I inherited who had MAJOR infections on all 4 white ankles. She had not been treated at all. She was standing shin-deep in clay mud and was swollen to her knees.

My mare has a hard nodule on her neck, located exactly where an IM injection was given years ago. We have been trying to figure out what it could be, and it seems as though its a Eosinophilic Granuloma as described at the end of page 6 on that publication. I sent the link to my vet to see what his thoughts are. We had discussed removal to biopsy, but it doesnt' seem to bother her. I am fairly certain this is what it is.

I have used a combination of desitin, triple antibiotic ointment and vagisil. (actually the generic version of all three). I mixed them up in a plastic container and slather on.

Making sure legs are well dried before putting the horse away. Making sure the tail is dry helps too.

I tried something similar too and it was quite hysterical when I was at Target and the young boy behind the check out counter gave me a funny look as I placed four giant tubes of each - jock itch cream, vagisil, butt paste and neosporin...

I quickly tried to explain it was for my horse but his eyes just got bigger.

ryansgirl, do you apply full strength? Im using nolvasan now for scratched, diluted and I see no improvement.

Yup full strength . I applied it in the am and pm for I think close to two weeks and they were completely gone after that. The only time i've ever diluted it was when I used it as a mouth rinse after my old guy had a tooth pulled.

"When a horse greets you with a nicker & regards you with a large & liquid eye, the question of where you want to be & what you want to do has been answered."CANTER New England

I have always washed with Listerine diluted in water. Soak the legs, and then scrub. Dry, then apply Desitin. You'll be able to see a difference in just a few days. I even turned my homepathic BO on to this this spring. My mare had a bad case, and she insisted on some herbal oils, etc. I was out of town when it started, so I said "go ahead". I returned home 3 days later and she was really bummed that there hadn't been an improvement. I started my treatment and 3 days letter, all the scabs were gone and the swelling was gone. She said she's definitely going with that protocol in the future.

I currently have a sensitive chestnut OTTB with 2 hind socks who had a case of scratches/crud on his hind feet (confirmed by the vet) this spring. I've never had a good cure for scratches (previous OTTB had 2 white socks as well and contracted scratches every spring). This year vet recommended mixing zinc oxide with furazone, equal parts. Worked like a champ. Applied every other day or so with no other care. I bathed him as normal after riding and would dry off excess water with a towel prior to applying. I'm still in awe at how well this stuff worked...